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LOS ANGELES Pressure is building on structural steel mills to lower the published price of wide-flange beams in the wake of what normally might not be a large enough fall in a key scrap benchmark to trigger a cut, market sources said this past week.
Talk of lower beam prices comes on the heels of AMM reducing its consumer buying price for shredded automotive scrap in Chicagooften used in mills raw material surchargesby $9 per ton to $377 per ton (amm.com, Feb. 7).
While a scrap price decline of $10 per ton or less traditionally hasnt resulted in a change in published beam tags, that could be different this time around, sources said, noting that the drop comes at a time when an expected January pickup in orders has failed to materialize, with few indicators that an upturn is imminent.
"If we had a spike in demand, inventories would have been seen as way too low and people would be scrambling for material," one market source said. "But that spike hasnt happened."
Major U.S. beam producers have kept the published f.o.b. mill price for core beam sizes at $780 per ton ($39 per hundredweight) for three months, and some buyers say they are starting to wonder if thats still a fair reflection of the market.
"Weve been sitting on that $39 (per cwt) number too long," one Midwest service center buyer said, emphasizing that he isnt rooting for a price cut. "Theres too much pressure (on prices) and too much inventory around."
Since the second half of last year, domestic beam producers have appeared determined to eliminate discounts and publish price lists that more accurately mirror market conditions. But reports of spot discounts from some suppliers have re-emerged in recent weeks.
"It wouldnt surprise me if the mills went down $10 per ton," a Northeast service center buyer said, apparently resigned to the likelihood of a decline despite his preference that prices remain steady. "It would reflect the market."
At the same time, although arrivals of both South Korean and Spanish beams appeared to have risen substantially in January from the previous month (amm.com, Feb. 6), some buyers still dont believe imports on their own have regained enough momentum nationally to force a domestic price cut.


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CmdrTaco from the wolverine-with-mouse-ears dept.
whisper_jeff writes "Disney has announced they will be purchasing Marvel. 'Building on its strategy of delivering quality branded content to people around the world, The Walt Disney Company has agreed to acquire Marvel Entertainment, Inc. in a stock and cash transaction, the companies announced today.'"
I don't have any use for bodyguards, but I do have a specific use for two
highly trained certified public accountants.
-- Elvis Presley

domain: news


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A couple of weeks ago, we learned that Resident Evil 7 Biohazard's long-awaited Not a Hero DLC will arrive free-of-charge alongside its End of Zoe counterpart. Now, Capcom has teased a few minutes of some Chris Redfield-starring in-game footage from the former.
Sporting a high tech helmet that grants him a nifty HUD, Redfield is seen exploring a mine and, latterly, taking on a horde of faceless baddies. Things then get heavy when the ex-STARS member runs out of ammo, before facing up to what looks like a variation of a Fat Molded. Look, see:
Like Andy, I enjoyed Resi 7 when it launched earlier this year, however the above does remind me of how awkward I found its combat. It seems Not a Hero leans into its action, so it'll be interesting to see how it balances situations like this with puzzle work and exploration.
The Not a Hero DLC will land alongside RE7's Gold Edition, and will be free for owners of "any version" of the game, so says Capcom. Here's the dev on why Chris Redfield is back in action:
"The free Not a Hero DLC sees the return of Resident Evil fan favourite and veteran BSAA soldier Chris Redfield. Taking place after the horrific events that befell Ethan Winters in Resident Evil 7 biohazard, Not a Hero brings a brand new experience playing as Chris to face new threats not met in the main game. As a member of New Umbrella, Chris and team quickly set up a strategy to counter this latest threat. Will Chris once again solve the mystery of this latest outbreak and make it out of the plantation’s dungeons alive?"
Resident Evil 7 Biohazard's Not a Hero DLC is due December 12, 2017.


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Pharmaceutical company AMAG Inc. knew that a drug advertised as reducing the chance of preterm births was no better than a placebo but continued to charge “breathtaking” prices for it anyway, according to a proposed class action filed in New York federal court.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's top scientist tried to reassure the House Science Committee on Wednesday about a proposed rule that would change how science is used in EPA rulemaking, but unconvinced Democrats repeatedly slammed the rule as improperly limiting data that could be considered.
The Walt Disney Co. and US Foods Inc. have briefed only in “superficial terms” their concerns with a $135 million deal to end multidistrict litigation over allegedly defective Navistar diesel engines, an Illinois federal judge said at a hearing Wednesday.
The Seventh Circuit has refused to give an Ohio insurer another shot at its claims that pharmaceutical companies enticed it into paying for unnecessary prescriptions by misrepresenting the safety of testosterone replacement drugs, ruling that no reasonable jury could find the insurer was affected by allegedly misleading statements.
A Ford Motor Co. engineer testified in California federal court Tuesday that he hadn't seen evidence of "shudder" problems in Focus and Fiesta transmissions at high speeds, countering claims that a California man's Focus shuddered violently at high speeds even after numerous clutch repairs.
A federal judge in Washington state struck down as unlawful on Tuesday a Trump administration settlement last year that cleared the way for private groups to distribute online blueprints and instructions for manufacturing firearms with 3D printers.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is taking heat from prominent lawmakers over a special approval pathway for health software products sold by Apple, Samsung and other major tech companies, opening the door to a congressional showdown over whether the agency has the right to start such a program.
The Federal Aviation Administration on Tuesday said it was expanding inspections of Boeing 737 NG for structural cracks after four airplanes were found to have cracks outside the initial inspection area.
Canadian drugmaker Intellipharmaceutics International Inc. has agreed to pay investors $1.6 million to settle a proposed class action alleging the company overstated opioid painkiller Rexista’s ability to deter abuse before the U.S. Food and Drug Administration rejected its approval.
The Supreme Court rejected a bid by Remington on Tuesday to review a ruling by Connecticut state courts that allowed the families of Sandy Hook shooting victims to sue the gunmaker.
Massachusetts' chief cannabis regulator announced Tuesday that it would largely preserve the governor's ban on vape devices for medical patients, specifically on products that produce an aerosol, while lifting the prohibition on devices that vaporize marijuana flower.
The elite slate of attorneys chosen as Law360's 2019 MVPs have distinguished themselves from their peers by securing hard-earned successes in high-stakes litigation, complex global matters and record-breaking deals.
A California state judge on Friday handed Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals a big win in consolidated litigation over its blood thinner Pradaxa, finding that federal law preempts a woman's claims that the pharmaceutical company should've more adequately warned doctors of the drug's internal bleeding risks.
A North Carolina federal judge has ruled that state court is the proper venue for e-cigarette retailer Eonsmoke to face a claim it violated state law by advertising to young people and failing to verify online buyers’ ages, saying the claim is not preempted by federal law.
Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc. has agreed to pay $5.4 million and change its marketing to end a suit accusing the company of lying when it said certain juice-based beverages contained “no artificial flavors,” according to documents filed Friday in California federal court.
Volkswagen asked a Virginia federal judge Friday to reconsider his ruling preserving a proposed class action alleging it offloaded to unsuspecting consumers scores of test vehicles that it used for auto shows or loaned out to employees, insisting the suit's contract and fraud claims should've been axed.
Schlumberger Technology Corp. convinced a Texas federal judge to end one claim for damages brought by Hess Corp. in a suit seeking about $200 million in damages stemming from allegedly faulty offshore drilling valves it purchased, agreeing that Hess can't recoup damages for methanol contamination in one well that it admittedly caused.
The milk and cream that's used to make Ben & Jerry's beloved ice cream do not come from happy cows, despite what its packaging may claim, according to a new class action filed by a disgruntled dairy consumer.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported a "breakthrough" in the vaping related lung illness outbreak that has sickened more than 2,000 people and killed 39, saying that vitamin E acetate had been found in 29 samples taken from patients.
Utah has agreed to drop an emergency rule barring nonspecialty tobacco shops from selling flavored e-cigarettes, the latest setback for states whose governors and health departments have sought to use emergency measures to curb vaping in response to lung illnesses linked to the products.
A Louisiana federal judge on Friday rejected a call to recuse himself from multidistrict litigation surrounding the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill and recommended a disciplinary proceeding against the attorney who wanted him off the case, saying the attorney may have violated the state rules of conduct.
The photo verification software that Juul Labs Inc. uses in its online age-verification process improperly scans and stores consumers' facial geometry in violation of Illinois’ biometric privacy law, a proposed class alleges in state court.
L'Oreal lotion buyers are asking the Second Circuit for another shot at a suit alleging the company sold products in defective pump bottles, saying the district court was mistaken in finding their claims were preempted by federal law.
A California federal judge on Thursday tossed a consumer lawsuit alleging that Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. misled the public by not disclosing that some of its bottled water had unsafe levels of arsenic, saying the plaintiff had not sufficiently shown he suffered an injury, but the judge will allow him to file an amended complaint.
The Ohio federal judge supervising multidistrict opioid litigation has warned attorneys for local governments and drug companies that he will unilaterally select future bellwether trials unless they quickly do so themselves, according to a meeting transcript obtained Thursday by Law360.
Businesses with a presence in Wisconsin should be aware of the state's proposals for regulating per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — in particular, its plans to set extremely low allowable levels of PFAS in drinking water, say George Marek and Lauren Harpke of Quarles & Brady.
While food marketing class actions have declined in California and increased in New York over the past few years, an examination of Ninth and Second Circuit case law shows why New York appears to be a less favorable forum for food plaintiffs overall, say attorneys at FaegreBD.
As Texas and other states review their judicial election processes, they would be well served by taking guidance from Massachusetts' Governor’s Council system, which protects the judiciary from the hazards of campaigning, says Richard Baker of New England Intellectual Property.
The Washington state cannabis industry has to abide by emergency rules passed in response to a very real health crisis, but there is no evidence, nor have there even been claims, of a connection between flavored cannabis vapor products and the outbreak of lung illnesses, says Samuel Mendez of Lane Powell.
Reading Jeffrey Rosen’s "Conversations With RBG: Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Life, Love, Liberty, and Law" is like eavesdropping on the author and his subject while they discuss how the restrained judicial minimalist became the fiery leader of the opposition, says Ninth Circuit Judge M. Margaret McKeown.
With a still-developing outbreak of lung injuries linked to vaping, and e-cigarette bans in some states already blocked by courts, regulatory maneuvering over this issue is likely to be a major policy concern in the months to come, says Dave Royse of State Net Capitol Journal.
It’s common for inexperienced witnesses to become ensnared in their own responses during cross-examination, so they should be coached in advance on how to break down each question-and-answer scenario into three distinct phases, says Jeff Dougherty of Litigation IQ.
As personal injury claims related to exploding lithium-ion batteries in vaping devices increase, defendants must understand the challenges facing both sides to increase the chance of avoiding liability, say Edward Abbot and David Freed of Hawkins Parnell.
In the final part of this video series, Charles Knauss and Daniel Grucza of Hunton outline approaches companies can take to deal with litigation over per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, as federal and state regulations and laws around PFAS are in flux.
In the first part of this two-part video series, Charles Knauss and Daniel Grucza of Hunton discuss how Congress is exploring regulatory action for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, and how states are already beginning to implement their own regulations for the chemicals.
Replacing hourly billing with flat-fee arrangements, especially for appellate work, will leave attorneys feeling free to spend as much time as necessary to produce their highest quality work, says Lawrence Ebner of Capital Appellate Advocacy.
Although the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure were amended to provide a uniform standard of culpability for spoliation, cases with similar facts are still reaching differing results because the rule does not specify how a court should evaluate a party's intent, say attorneys at Pepper Hamilton.
Following the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Oct. 29 rule establishing a regulatory framework for hemp production, industry players are increasingly seeking to fortify their business plans with intellectual property, whether to secure a competitive edge or increase company valuation, says Pauline Pelletier of Sterne Kessler.
Managing class action settlement issues like notice, fraud and judicial standards may become more complex and expensive as new obstacles, such as the California Consumer Privacy Act, come into play next year, says Jeanne Finegan at HF Media.
Requests for proposals, the standard tool of companies evaluating law firms, are becoming better suited to the legal industry, says Matthew Prinn of RFP Advisory Group.


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For the past 20 years, VoIP has become an integral part of the lives of millions of people around the world, offering a plethora of innovation and options, as well as simplifying many communication processes while improving consumer interaction.
The usage of VoIP as a service has snowballed – between 1998 and 2002, VoIP carried only 1-3% of all voice calls worldwide, but in 2005, VoIP was responsible for more than 200 billion call minutes. The technology remains one of the fastest growing innovation of the late 20th century and has since grown steadily.
As 2019 is said to be a year of more innovation, what could the future of VoIP look like? Let’s take a peek in what the technology has to offer businesses in the coming years and see how other innovative technologies can potentially impact the VoIP industry.
Traditional landline and phone systems are in steady decline.
Various telecommunication experts have predicted the eventual death of the traditional landline phone system. In the US alone, more than 90 percent of households had operational landline phones in 2004, and today that number has decreased to less than half the amount. Furthermore, studies have shown that three out of four adults were living in a wireless-only household in 2018.
For businesses, companies that use traditional fix-line voice systems are only a minority when compared to those who have already adopted IP-based voice systems. Enterprise-level features offered by VoIP systems will satisfy business requirements with innovative and cost-efficient options, as well as, any necessary hardware and software support, coupled with prompt updates.
Here comes 5G network
As VoIP technology is heavily dependent on internet quality, its services are expected to improve with the development of fifth-generation (5G) exponentially wide-area wireless networks, allowing faster communication speeds and response rate. The new system can potentially eliminate problems such as call jitter and packet loss.
Experts predict that the 5G network will arrive in scale, opening up to new revenue opportunities for telecommunication companies who can offer better quality connections to businesses and consumers. Wireless operators are currently investing heavily in 5G network development. According to the statistics, 72 operators were testing the network in 2018, and by the end of 2019, 25 operators are expected to have their 5G service launched, a figure likely to double by 2020.
Kevin Westcott, Vice-chairman at Deloitte, said, “It won’t happen overnight, but 5G will profoundly change our interactions and experiences, which is good news for consumers as they demand better performance and more access to content. Higher speeds and lower latency will enable new and innovative consumer experiences in areas from augmented reality to entertainment to medicine and smart cities.”
Blockchain and number portability
Blockchain technology is not new to the telecommunication industry. In 2019, it is expected that new initiatives will be rolled out offering blockchain solutions for streamlining complex multi-party processes such as Mobile Number Portability (MNP) and Do Not Call (DNC) registries.
MNP feature allows the migration of users’ mobile number to a different service provider and the advent of Blockchain can simplify this process. Blockchain can automate number migration while it ensures full transparency and safety for all parties involved.
Edwin Terek, the founder of DIDWW, said, “We see the future where there is no longer a need for number portability. Instead, all the phone numbers will be managed in one decentralized ledger, which will provide standardized access and routing lookup for all operators on a global basis.”
Further AI integration and advanced automation
As the tech world becomes obsessed with cloud-based artificial intelligence (AI), the VoIP systems become one of the biggest beneficiaries. AI is currently explored to detect poor quality calls and is being designed to be a self-healing network.
“AI will offer real-time problem solving for low bandwidth, high latency and faulty network configuration with minimal or even no human interaction. This cutting-edge technology will empower communication programs to analyze written and conversations in considerable detail, and produce useful insights into customer behavior, ” an expert said.
Chatbots and other AI-oriented platforms are expected to become more intelligent, opening more opportunities for inter-computer communication. The ability to compile substantive amounts of consumer data will enable an improved service experience and make interactions more efficient.
Furthermore, with the recent upgrades in artificial intelligence, AI can also be used not only to provide consumer insights but can also answer calls. This will give positive results via enhanced interpretation of basic, simple commands, and improved customer interaction.
“Repetitive and monotonous routine tasks will be processed automatically and efficiently, thus increasing the opportunity for employees to acquire well-defined consequential data and successfully solve complex issues,” another expert noted.
With the growth of the industry and the continuous expansion of technological advancements, VoIP, among other technologies, are expected to become better in the years to come. Who knows, there might be someone who can invent the phone that will not only answer phone calls by itself but can also make decisions to help your consumers further.


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Last year, Taco Bell brought hope to a nation in a period of deep reflection, releasing the Doritos Locos taco, a product so beloved that it sold 100 million of them in ten weeks.
This year, another Yum Brands subsidiary is keeping the flame alive, with Pizza Hut releasing the Pizza Slider, a new fast food and/or freedom metaphor at the intersection of two beloved things: sliders and pizza. The little mini pizzas — a more appetizing derivative of Pizza Hut’s overseas experimentation with Cheeseburger Pizzas — are meant to be bought in sets: three for $5 or nine for $10, according to the company’s website.
Inventing new ways to enjoy pizza is one of this country’s oldest and finest traditions, but for Pizza Hut it’s also part of keeping up with the times: in a tough economy McDonald's has doubled down on its dollar menu, and other fast food companies are scrambling to adjust their strategies to cater to customers looking for cheaper eats — either by switching down from a full-priced menu item to one of the dollar specials, or trading down from a more expensive restaurant to a fast food meal.
So while pizza sliders and dollar burgers are part of the fast food game plan, another part is to offer something vaguely upmarket enough to capture the interest of customers who would otherwise head somewhere more expensive. Taco Bell is going after diners from the pricier Chipotle franchise with its own line of “Cantina” products that are marketed as a cut above the regular menu, in quality and price.
How well is that strategy working out? We’ll find out in a couple of hours, with Yum Brands — which owns Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and KFC — due to release quarterly results after markets close today. Company watchers know to expect a significant sales decline in China, where KFC has been caught up in a government investigation into tainted poultry supplies.
The performance of Taco Bell, and its success (or lack of) in stealing customers from Chipotle, will also be worth looking out for. At Pizza Hut, the impact of the Pizza slider, which went on sale today, won’t be seen until the next quarter. But we’ll be tuning in on the company’s earnings call tomorrow morning to hear what its top brass have to say about this historic new development in pizza.


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A pair of new high-resolution renders of the budget iPhone has emerged online, giving us an almost accurate representation of the final product. Also, a leaked image confirms the existence of a blue colored variant of the budget iPhone.
Image Credit: Nowhereelse
There’s not one but two interesting news related to the budget Apple iPhone. The first being that the first budget phone offering from Apple will come in various colors, and one of them happens to be the color blue.
While we’ve previously seen the phone in red, white, yellow and even green, this is the first time that we are seeing a blue colored iPhone back panel. Apple seems to have drawn heavy influence from the Nokia Lumia phones, which showed that colorful back panels are trendy and cool, and help in wooing more teenagers to buy their phones as well.
The other bit of news is the pair of high-resolution renderings of how the final budget iPhone would look. These renderings, made by Mac Rumors, are based on all the leaked images circulating the web so far, and to me, they look pretty darn accurate (and good looking too, cheers!). Reports suggest that the internal specifications will be much similar to the iPhone 4, which isn’t bad, but isn’t that great for 2013 either. Here’s hoping for a dual-core chipset and 512 MB RAM at the least.
Depicting the various colors in which the iPhone will be available. Obviously, MacRumors hasn’t got wind of the newly leaked ‘Blue’ version yet.
While we are really excited about the budget iPhone, we really hope (and sincerely pray) that Apple prices it right. Initial reports suggest a $350-400 price tag, far higher than the Nexus 4, Lumia 820 and other offers by competition. Apple, give this away for $249 and I’m sold.


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With stocks at record highs, traders are looking to Apple to help extend the market rally Tuesday.
But if history is a guide, Apple has a good chance of heading lower after its 10th anniversary iPhone announcement.
Apple is expected to unveil its widely anticipated iPhone X model, iPhone 8 models, a possible new Apple Watch and other products at a 1 p.m. ET event, at the Steve Jobs Theater in Apple Park, its new Cupertino campus.
Apple shares were nearly 1 percent higher in premarket trading, after gaining 1.8 percent Monday to close at $161.50.
"We've seen many times when the Apple stock rallies into the unveiling of a new phone, and after that it sells off or consolidates," said Peter Boockvar, chief market analyst at Lindsey Group. "Apple is up almost 40 percent this year. If history is any guide, it sells off on the news. …The bar is very high here for Apple to deliver. To get a market cap stock up this big, up 40 percent this year, takes a lot. Now it has to deliver."
According to a CNBC study, Apple stock was lower 75 percent of the time on the days it made iPhone announcements. For the 11 instances, the stock finished flat on average, with a gain of 0.04 percent. But on the day after, the stock did much better, gaining 60 percent of the time with an average gain of 0.6 percent.
"It's Apple-specific. It will only have an influence because of the size of its market cap, nothing more than that," said Boockvar. The Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq all rallied more than 1 percent Monday. The S&P 500 rose to a new closing high of 2,488, a 1.1 percent gain and its best daily performance since April 24.
"I guess the thing with Apple is, I don't think it's going to have a lasting impact, but it certainly could have trader impact, headline impact," said James Paulsen, chief investment strategist at Leuthold Group.
The biggest market cap stock at $834.2 billion, Apple has an unusually strong hold over the stock market. As a member of the Dow, S&P and Nasdaq, it can also sway marketwide sentiment.
"As far as tech is concerned, Apple is cheap relative to the tech sector. If it rallies that would be good for the overall technology sector," said Paul Hickey, co-founder of Bespoke. Companies in Apple's supply chain also rose Monday, including Qualcomm, Jabil, Analog Devices, Glu Mobile and Micron, and they could move again with Apple Tuesday.
This time, Apple enters an iPhone announcement with momentum even before the release of its new products. The new X iPhone, supposedly the biggest upgrade in a decade and reported to cost $1,000, is also expected to be in short supply initially.
"As far as the iPhone is concerned, it's been gaining share all year long. It's got solid momentum, so people are moving to Apple even before the iPhone is coming out," said Hickey. According to Bespoke, iPhone ownership has been increasing over the last three months across income levels.
Purchases by consumers in the 25-to-34-year-old bracket have been surging, and ownership levels have been increasing for all age groups below 75 years. There are also many iPhone users who are ready to upgrade, with just 28 percent of users having the latest model, 7s, according to Bespoke.
"I think expectations are very high as they always are for Apple, but they always seem to deliver," said Jack Ablin, CIO of BMO Private Bank. "It's a company that tended to over-deliver, and I think the 10-year anniversary is meaningful. That's like 70 in tech years."
As for the stock market, its gains could be impervious to a disappointing Apple announcement. Stocks rallied Monday after Hurricane Irma's impact was much less than feared for Florida. There was also relief that North Korea chose to celebrate its founding with a party over the weekend, rather than an anticipated missile launch.
"This sort of brings to light to me at least that underneath the stream of all the bad news, whether it's government, hurricane, geopolitical, nuclear war, underneath that, it's an awful good fundamental underpinning. It's basically an economy that's doing well," said Paulsen.
"There's a lot to like in the sense that we've got very low yields, very low inflation and solid real growth, and the likelihood of it accelerating," said Paulsen.


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Apple has released today an exclusive update for iPhone 5 devices. The update, which brings the version number up to 6.1.4, is exclusively for the latest iPhone and contains rather minor changes. The update is available over-the-air and comes in at a rather small 11.5MB.
The update brings with it an "updated audio profile for speakerphone." Between both the size of the update and change log, we're convinced that this is an extremely minor update. Of course, updating to the latest version will break your jailbreak and we doubt an updated audio profile is enough to make you want to lose your jailbreak. For everyone else, you can grab the update OTA or by clicking your device version:
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By Arlene Martin
Strategy Analytics predicts that the wireless portal market will explode among consumers from just over 4 million in 1999 to 350 million in 2005. It also expects revenue generated from wireless portals to exceed $3bn by 2005. Revenue will chiefly be generated by advertising and consumer m-commerce transactions.
Strategy Analytics forecasts that independent start-up portals will either fail entirely or enter into strategic acquisitions, as "the inherent advantages of network operator portals prove impossible to overcome".
Nitesh Patel, an analyst with Wireless Data and Computing Service at Strategy Analytics, explained that existing network operators would wield an easy advantage because, "for example, GenieMobile or BT Cellnet provide [wireless portals] as a default on users' devices."
Matthew Hanrahan, an analyst with Bloor Research, explained that because 3G licences have already been bought, "Wireless portals are a closed market and a massive growth industry."
He also expected that wireless portals would be huge for the B2B and B2E (business to employee) markets.


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Many people are in a position where they need housing. If you find yourself needing to sell a home or buy a home in today’s Coronavirus environment, here are some guidelines and best practices.
Where Commercial Retail Growth Is Strong
Where Commercial Retail Growth Is Strong
While fashion retailers and department stores have been the hardest hit by changing consumer behavior, real estate investment trusts have recently signed anchor leases with retailers that include fitness chains, leisure sporting goods chains and off-price retailers. It is also seeing strong demand for store space from arts and crafts, home-improvement, theaters, beauty, pet supplies, furniture, fitness and entertainment, said Conor Flynn, Kimco Realty Corp’s president and CEO.
“To be clear, physical retail is not going away, and will continue to be critical to the long-term success of the omni-channel approach to best serve today’s customers,” Flynn said. “However, it is now more important than ever to have dominant locations with the best tenant line up.”
Food-related retail remains the hottest growth category, said Cushman & Wakefield’s Brown.
In most U.S. markets, between 60% and 70% of local deal activity is being driven by either restaurant or grocery concepts. Restaurants remain extremely active despite the fact that restaurant closures are also on the rise.
“Most of the growth in restaurants is among fast casual chains, many of which are new concepts fueled by private equity money,” Brown said. “At the other end of the spectrum, most of the closures are among casual dining outfits and weaker franchise-driven fast-food or sandwich shops.”
Store Closures Seen Spreading Beyond Fashion, Department Stores
Former trendy fashion clothing retailer The Wet Seal LLC became the latest mall-based retailer to succumb to changing consumer buying habits. The company this week filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and is holding going out of business sales at all of its 171 stores in 42 states. It is the chain’s second trip through bankruptcy court in two years.
The forces of 'creative destruction' sweeping through the retail sector appear to be spreading quickly into other retailing sectors too. Outdoor sporting goods retailers and specialty shops too are starting to show signs of sales distress.
Eastern Outfitters, which operates more than 85 stores in the Northeast under the banners Eastern Mountain Sports and Bob’s Stores, also filed for bankruptcy this week and is pursuing a sale of the company.
Marbles: The Brain Store, with 37 locations in some of the best performing malls on the West Coast and in the Northeast, also filed for bankruptcy this week. It is seeking to close all of its game stores.
Fashion Faux Pas
The fashion retail market for young women in which Wet Seal operated is extremely competitive, as evidenced by other recent Chapter 11 filings by, among others, Aeropostale, American Apparel, Pacific Sunwear of California, Quicksilver, Deb Stores, dELia*s and Body Central Corp. More recently, The Limited recently concluded liquidation sales and is winding down its business.
Each of those retailers has suffered from some combination of the same challenges that ultimately compelled Wet Seal’s liquidation: declining mall traffic, fast-changing fashion trends, expensive commercial leases, and the increased popularity of online shopping. Other fashion retailers may be on the cusp. Moody's Investors Service recently downgraded debt ratings on True Religion Apparel Inc. and Nine West Holdings Inc. The credit rating downgrades reflect ongoing earnings declines, high debt levels and leverage burdens, according to Moody’s, which sees higher default risk or further deterioration in recovery prospects for both retailers.
B and C Properties Expected to Bear Brunt of Store Closures Retail closures and bankruptcies were up significantly in 2016. Over the course of the year Cushman & Wakefield tracked more than 4,000 store closures made by major chains, a figure that surpassed 2010’s record 3,600 shuttered storefronts. In addition, there were 26 major US retailer bankruptcies during 2016 compared to 22 in both 2015 and 2014. 2009’s record of 37 major U.S. retailer bankruptcies still stands.
“Despite improving consumer metrics and a fairly solid overall holiday sales performance, the heightened levels of closures recorded in 2016 is likely to be surpassed in 2017," said Garrick Brown, Retail Research, Americas for Cushman & Wakefield. “We anticipate as many as 5,000 major chain closures in the coming year -- a 25% increase over 2016.”
The combination of more store closures and slowing growth in other categories will finally take its toll on vacancy levels, Brown said. Class B and C properties will bear the brunt of impact as the divide between Class A retail and other asset types widens.
"We are projecting stabilized mall occupancy to be relatively flat from prior year end, but expect that we will have a decline in the first part of the year to absorb the January store closures from The Limited, Wet Seal and Aeropostale,” said Farzana Khaleel, CFO of CBL & Associates Properties Inc. (NYSE:CBL).
While neighborhood/community, lifestyle, power/ regional and strip centers are generally expected to fare better than mall properties in the coming year, they won't be completely immune.
Outdoor sports gear retailers such as Eastern Mountain and Bob’s Store tend to operate in power and lifestyle centers and are now starting to feel the effects of shifting consumer behavior.
Deckers Outdoor Corp., a competitor to those two chains now in bankruptcy, announced this week it will implement a chainwide optimization plan for its stores and an office consolidation. The company is in the process of evaluating its portfolio of retail stores but has already identified 24 that are candidates for potential closure.
“Unfortunately, brick-and-mortar traffic remains challenging and we expect our stores will continue to face headwinds for the foreseeable future,” said Dave Powers, president and CEO of Deckers. “In the meantime, the company continues to be focused on implementing a strategy aimed at meeting the changing needs of our customers in the industry.”
And by that Powers means moving more sales online.
Raul Acuña - Raul has been in the Real Estate Industry since 2005. Raul began working at an REO brokerage before opening his own REO company in 2010. Raul has a business degree from Cal Poly Pomona, ....


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Cashify, a marketplace for gadgets trade-ins and buybacks in India, has raised $ 90 million in a new financing round as it looks to expand its business in the world’s second largest smartphone market.
Prosus Ventures and NewQuest Capital Partners led the seven-year-old Indian startup’s Series E funding, Cashify said on Thursday. Paramark Ventures and existing backers including Bessemer Venture Partners, Blume Ventures and Olympus Capital also participated in the new round, which included some secondary transactions. The new round, which multiples the startup’s valuation by 2.5 times since Series C funding, takes Cashify’s to-date funding to over $ 130 million.
Cashify operates an eponymous platform – both online and physical stores and kiosks – for users to sell and buy used smartphones, tablets, laptops and other gadgets. Users sell to and buy devices from the startup by visiting the startup’s website or app.
Additionally, Cashify also works with all top smartphone makers including Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi and Samsung to power their refurbishing programs. The startup repairs and refurbishes those devices, giving them new lives without which they may have likely ended up in the garbage bin, explained Mandeep Manocha, founder and chief executive of Cashify, in an interview with TechCrunch.
“We have covered the full-spectrum, offering a full-stack solution,” he said. Smartphones business accounts for roughly 90% of the startup’s revenue, said Manocha.
The startup is tapping into India’s large market, where over 100 million smartphones ship each year and tens of millions of used smartphones get resold.
A significant number of smartphones sold in the country-and beyond-get returned to the e-commerce or retail outlets. Many of these firms work with Cashify as well, said Manocha.
But selling old smartphones requires establishing a high trust factor with consumers. Cashify has been expanding its presence in India through physical retail points in recent years to solidify this trust, Manocha said.
“We have invested heavily in enhanced refurbished capability, and at the same time, selling smartphones to end consumers. We are taking an omnichannel approach, where we have established over 120 stores of our own in 65 cities in the country. We are hoping to increase our presence to 200 cities this year, ”he said.
Cashify also has operations outside of India, including in markets including the UAE, Turkey and Bangladesh. In the international regions, the firm licenses its enterprise business. The firm’s enterprise business includes offerings such as a diagnostic tool to evaluate a smartphone’s functional and physical aspects.
“For instance, if you’re an e-commerce firm that wants to start a smartphone exchange program, you can use our diagnostic tool to pick up old phones from customers’ doorsteps. In Turkey, additionally, we have empowered microentrepreneurs to build a buyback business in their market, ”he said.
Cashify will also deploy the fresh funds to expand its team. The startup said it has been very cautious about hiring new talent in the past, a factor that has allowed it to not cut workforce even in the uncertain times.
“While there is a large opportunity set in the re-commerce space, Cashify has a clear edge as a category leader with its focus on customer experience and its data and tech-first approach to drive scale and working capital minimization,” said Amit Gupta , Partner and Head of India and Southeast Asia, NewQuest Capital Partners, in a statement.
“Its leadership position and success of the PhonePro brand are a testament to the quality of the management team and their vision for the sector. We’re excited to be a part of their journey and a part of the consumer revolution that they’re driving. ”


text: I’d like to start this column by congratulating all the cows out there for their recent big win. This month, a large study in the Archives of Internal Medicine confirmed previous research on the health risks of eating red meat.MORE: Is Ground Beef the Most Dangerous Meat to Eat?The study, involving nearly 38,000 men and 84,000 women over the course of almost 30 years, concluded that red meat consumption increased the risk of cardiovascular disease, as well as cancer mortality—which should scare just about any individual who chooses to let red meat hit their lips.This study wasn’t the first of its kind; there have been many studies throughout the years on the ill effects of red meat in our diets. All of them related to chronic disease risk, but few of them, if any at all, looked at the ill effects that meat can have on outer beauty.Let’s first start with the basics—that is, red meat lacks some of the best beauty boosters around. Vitamins A and C are absent in red meat, and fruits and vegetables in general may be lacking in a diet where red meat rules. For example, the study that just came out showed that a higher red meat intake was associated with a higher amount of overall calories and lower amounts of whole grains, fruits and vegetables.MORE: Sneak in Beauty-Boosting VegetablesRed meat has also been associated with increased incidence of inflammation. One study found that saturated fatty acids were positively associated with inflammation, which is just about the worst thing you can have when it comes to your overall health and beauty.So I’m throwing down a challenge for you, your body and your beauty: Why not try to go meat-free for the next 30 days? A huge amount of research shows that doing so may not only make you more beautiful than you already are, but it will also help with a number of other inner-beauty benefits.You’ll lower your risk for hypertension, as well as for certain cancers, diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Your intake of fruits and vegetables will most likely go up, which means you’ll get more beauty-boosting vitamins and minerals such as biotin, selenium and vitamin C, helping to improve everything from wrinkle reduction to strong, healthy nails.MORE: Vitamin C Slows Skin AgingYou may also end up having more nuts and beans, which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Those omega 3’s not only zap inflammation in the body but, can lead to more healthy skin and shiny, lustrous hair.Finally, cutting out meat may help you to lose those last few pounds, which would boost the best beauty property of all—your confidence! All this, just by taking a break from meat for 30 days. Are you game?


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MOUNT UNIACKE, N.S. — Opening your own business on a good day is a daunting task; opening it during a worldwide pandemic is downright scary. But, for one Mount Uniacke woman, it has turned out to be a recipe for success.
Long-time cook Alecia Dube wanted to be her own boss and in 2020, just as the COVID-19 virus was arriving in Nova Scotia, she took the plunge.
“I’m 41 years old, so I’ve had all kinds of labour jobs and jobs I really didn’t like,” said Dube. “But I really, really found that I loved cooking. Cooking is definitely a passion of mine and I wish I had gotten into it 20 years earlier.”
Dube opened Nana’s Gluten Free Take-out, a mobile trailer business based in Mount Uniacke, in the spring of 2020. When she got her permit, she was told her business was the first 100 per cent gluten-free food truck operating in Nova Scotia.
For her, providing meals that anyone with celiac disease can eat was the driving motivation behind opening the business.
“I have had people that I have met for the first time ask to speak with me as the cook and cry and say, ‘I’m so happy that you’re here; you make me feel safe. I can come and eat,’” said Dube, saying she still gets goosebumps thinking about the difference she’s making.
Her longtime boyfriend, Tim Cole, was diagnosed with celiac disease a few years ago and the couple found it difficult to find safe places to order a meal. Grocery shopping also proved difficult.
“Tim and I spent hours upon hours checking labels at the grocery store and doing research and stuff,” said Dube.
“When he first got diagnosed, it seemed like he couldn’t eat anything, to be honest.”
Celiacs can’t consume barley, rye, wheat, or malt, for example, without experiencing negative side effects.
Cole, who thought he was eating healthy by opting for items like whole-wheat sandwiches, was unknowingly exacerbating his condition before his diagnosis.
According to the Canadian Celiac Association, about one per cent of the population lives with celiac disease. There is no treatment aside from maintaining a strict gluten-free diet.
A fact sheet on celiac disease notes that the presence of gluten in the diet causes “damage to the inner lining of the small bowel which reduces the person's ability to absorb nutrients including iron, folate, calcium, Vitamin D, protein, fat and other food compounds.”
Symptoms vary from person to person but most frequently include gastrointestinal complaints, like abdominal pain, flatulence, and diarrhea, serious skin conditions, extreme fatigue, and weight loss — though weight gain is possible.
Due to cross-contamination at restaurants, and with gluten lurking in many everyday items, including toothpaste and hair care products, it’s difficult for a celiac to know what they’re using or consuming is safe.
That’s where Dube’s mobile food truck comes in.
When she purchased the trailer, she completely disinfected it. She knows what’s in her products and sources as much as she can locally.
“Children that haven’t had hotdogs in years since they’ve been diagnosed can come and have a hotdog at my place. They can have anything on the menu at my place, and that really excites people,” said Dube.
Her business’ Facebook page is filled with positive comments and reviews. One customer posted: “What a little GEM. I had the clams and chips, my gluten-loving partner had a hot dog and donair pocket and we were both super happy!” Another happy diner posted: “Having the peace of mind that everything is GF and safe to eat makes for a stress-free eating experience. Also, the food is delicious!”
The menu largely focuses on seafood — fish and chips are a modified third-generation recipe — but also paninis, burgers and sandwiches.
Dube’s fish and chips have been a hit since the get-go.
“It’s a really light batter that I use. It’s crisp. And people like that rather than big, gunky, sometimes not cooked, beer batter that you see on fish and chips. It’s not like that,” said Dube.
Even Cole, who didn’t like clams, enjoys that deep-fried dish now.
“Everything is made from fresh. I don’t have burger patties ready to go. So, if you do have to wait an extra minute or two, that’s why,” said Dube.
She uses fresh ground beef from Withrow’s Farm Market, which is where her food truck is located, as well as all the fresh produce that she requires.
“I take pride in knowing all the ingredients are so fresh and everything flows together,” said Dube.
She said she can accommodate some other allergies — there are only a handful of items that contain dairy, and she has separate fryers so someone with a shellfish allergy can still order meals — but her focus is on being the best gluten-free take-out truck available.
She doesn’t offer dessert yet, largely due to the confined quarters she’s working in. However, it’s something she’s thought about.
Dube said she can’t compare how her business is doing as it has always operated during a time of uncertainty. However, the response she’s received from the public — with celiacs travelling from Truro and Bridgewater to sample her meals — has been heartwarming.
“The response has been overwhelming, just altogether,” said Dube.
“Opening year was during COVID, but we were still swamped. This year, we’ve only been open since April 1 and again, we’re swamped. I don’t see any difference. I don’t see any change in anything, other than possibly, as the weather gets nicer, we’re going to get busier,” said Dube.
If that happens, she hopes customers will wait for their orders, as each meal is made at the time of order.
“I just love what I do,” said Dube.
“We just like to keep it real and pump out good food, and we love our customers.”
Cole helps at the mobile food truck, which Dube said is a wonderful addition as he’s quite knowledgeable about celiac disease, and her daughter, Traci Dube, also helps at the window.
As for why Dube called her new business venture Nana’s Gluten Free Take-out, she said it was a fitting choice.
“I’m a nana. My grandkids call me nana. And I couldn’t think of anything better because it all flows as to why I’m there,” said Dube.
“I just wanted something for their future. Something to give them options, to hand down and something to be proud of.”
If you go
What: Nana’s Gluten Free Take-out
Where: 206 Highway 1, Mount Uniacke, N.S.
When: Wednesday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Info: 1-902-256-6262; https://www.facebook.com/nanasglutenfreetakeout


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We already know that July in Mortal Kombat X – this is a month of predator. But now Netherrealm Studios Finally called the very day when an alien hunter killing everything living for sports interest will be released on the “deadly battle”.
For those who did not strangle on the Kombat Pack seasonal subscription, this long-awaited event will happen on July 7. Then how to all other users Mortal Kombat X The ability to purchase a predator will fall a week later – July 14. Separately, a cracker comrade will cost you five dollars. But complete with thematic skins for Jack (transforming in Colonel Dillon) and Johnny (A la Dutch) DLC will cost eight bucks.


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Two chain pet supply stores are opening this week on opposite ends of the Grand Strand.
PetSmart has opened on the south end off S.C. 544, and Petco is opening this weekend in North Myrtle Beach. The stores are the second Grand Strand locations for each pet supply retailer.
Petco will open its 12,000-square-foot store at 10 a.m. Sunday in the Gator Hole Plaza. Hours will be 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sundays and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
Grand opening festivities are set for Oct. 12-14.
The North Myrtle Beach store, which has about 20 employees, is Petco’s second location along the Grand Strand. Its first store opened about two weeks ago in the new Sayebrook Town Center off S.C. 544 at U.S. 17 Bypass.
PetSmart opened Monday across S.C. 544 from Petco at 1391 South Commons Drive in the South Strand Commons shopping center. It’s grand opening festivities are set for Saturday.
Hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.
PetSmart’s other area store is outside Coastal Grand mall in Myrtle Beach.
Contact DAWN BRYANT at 626-0296 or at email@example.com or follow her at Twitter.com/TSN_dawnbryant.


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SAY Media is a digital publishing company that has raised $27 million in funding. SAY Media is the parent company of brands like ReadWriteWeb and Remodelista. SAY Media plans to use the funding to acquire more brands and expand their platform.
This round of funding was led by New Enterprise Associates, Shea Ventures, and Correlation Ventures. Previous investors also participated in this round.
?The intersection of Madison Avenue and Silicon Valley is really where we see the future of media and we are well-positioned to lead the publishing industry into a digital world,? stated SAY Media CEO Matt Sanchez.
SAY Media now has six properties and partnerships with 13 others. They reach a global audience of around 400 million. This is SAY Media’s first round of funding.
Before that SAY used to be two separate companies known as VideoEgg and Six Apart. As two separate companies, they raised a total of $79 million.


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GM’s Faulty Ignition Switch Could Have Been Fixed For 57 Cents
“I am deeply sorry,” said the new CEO of General Motors to a congressional panel.
CEO Mary Barra has testified in a congressional hearing today saying that she was disturbed by past GM comments that the cost of replacing defective switches in some cars was too high.
‘I am deeply sorry,’ Barra said at the beginning of the hearing.
At a hearing Tuesday, members of a House subcommittee demanded answers from Barra about why the automaker used the switch in small cars such as the Chevrolet Cobalt and Saturn Ion even though it knew the part didn’t meet GM’s own specifications…
Colorado Representative Diana DeGette held up a switch for one of the cars and said a small spring inside it failed to provide enough force, causing car engines to turn off when they went over a bump.
DeGette showed how easy it was for a light set of keys to move the ignition out of the ‘run’ position. That can cause the engine to stall and the driver to lose power steering and power brakes.
‘Documents provided by GM show that this unacceptable cost increase was only 57 cents,’ DeGette said.
In her prepared statement, Barra said she doesn’t know ‘why it took years for a safety defect to be announced,’ but ‘we will find out.’


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Tourism operators are expressing concern about the Government’s tourism strategy after the current #BookThemOut campaign ends with many warning they have had a sharp fall in bookings into the rest of this year.
The campaign was launched in the wake of the bushfires that impacted Kangaroo Island and the Adelaide Hills.
While many operators acknowledge the special circumstances of those two regions, the State’s other nine regions have been doing it hard with falling numbers of international visitors and a tougher domestic economic climate.
Labor has set out a suite of measures to reinvigorate this important sector of our economy that directly employs 39,000 South Australians.
The recent results from a tourism industry survey show that 8 out 10 respondents felt that they were facing significant negative impacts to their business.
Labor’s measures include:
SA tourism’s fair share
• Reversing the Government’s cuts to the SATC budget.
• Ensuring SA gets its fair share of $76 million of the Commonwealth tourism bushfire recovery assistance.
• Setting a higher target for regional South Australia share of visitor expenditure.
• Advocate for meetings, events and other business activities to be held in bushfire affected regions in the next six months.
Increase tourism marketing
• New marketing campaign to sell SA to the world.
• Long-term marketing partnerships with regional tourism organisations.
Tourism infrastructure and access
• Prioritise new direct flight routes.
• Reverse cuts to The Overland.
• Plan and help deliver new tourism infrastructure.
Quotes attributable to Shadow Tourism Minister Zoe Bettison
The #BookThemOut campaign was an emergency response to a series of bushfire events that directly impacted on two of our key tourism regions but operators are now asking what’s next?
The Government must reinvest in our tourism industry as a priority. This is a key economic driver in the State and it is struggling in the wake of not only the bushfires but also from the impact of coronavirus on our key Chinese tourism market.
Steven Marshall seized tourism from one of his own Ministers and he must start showing some leadership and vision for the sector.
The Premier must use his influence to ensure the industry gets back what he slashed from their funding over the past two years.


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Watch the interactive TV ad for PS4.
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Follow us for exclusive news and insight from the PlayStation universe.
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Wednesday, March 17, 2010
That's conventional wisdom. Conventional wisdom also says that Google pulling out of China is a bad business move.
After all, Google would be pulling out of a country that has 1.3 billion people with 600 million of them in urban areas (presumably connected to the Internet). China's urbanized population alone is DOUBLE the entire population of the United States. Plus, China is estimated to be about 20% of the world's population. Conventional wisdom says this is a market that Google should learn to appease.
But conventional wisdom has more than once been proven wrong. Google is making a bet on Mobile
Google, if and when it pulls out of China, will essentially be breaking up with a cantankerous woman. A woman who is fine, but just way too full of drama.
Google's "lover on the side" or "cut buddy" is Mobile. And that's where Google is placing its bet on. Google itself has made plenty of strides into Mobile including the AdMob purchase and Nexus One.
If and when Google perfects mobile search and mobile ads, Google will not only command desktop search, it will command mobile search. And in Asia, Europe, and emerging economies, access to Internet through mobile devices is far more prevalent than in the US.
While Bing chases after Google's desktop search crumbs, Google is setting up the table and dining hall for mobile search.
Over the course of the next few days and weeks, I will be exploring Google and China and Mobile. I will be putting out a collection of articles on Google and China with more details, analysis, and references.
These will be followed by analysis and details on International SEO, Mobile SEO, and the future of the Internet & SEO.


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Larian Studios has introduced on Twitter that Baldur’s Gate III Patch 3 will launch on September 22, 2023.
Associated Content material – Sony PS5 Full Information – Every part Defined About PlayStation 5 For New Homeowners In 2023
Baldur’s Gate III was launched for the PC in August and arrived for the PS5 earlier this month, receiving essential acclaim within the course of. In reality, you possibly can learn what we considered the fantasy-RPG right here. Larian Studios just lately confirmed that it hasn’t dominated out the potential of DLC for the sport, though nothing has been introduced but, and Cross-Play remains to be very a lot a part of the sport’s roadmap.
The PS5 model of Baldur’s Gate III benefitted from all of the of the post-launch patches launched for the PC version as much as that time, though Larian Studios remains to be busy ironing out lingering bugs. By way of evaluating each variations, the PS5 launch of Baldur’s Gate III has been described as being “successfully” the visually maxed out PC model.


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And the winner is…GM.
Here’s FactSet’s chart of analyst ratings on General Motors, which reported earnings earlier today that were deemed to be , well, okay.
On the far right, you can see that in May some 79% of the 19 ratings tracked by FactSet on GM are “buys” or “overweights.” (That’s despite the less-than-stellar run for the stock over the last few months. That’s the blue line.)
And here’s Ford. You can see in that green-and-orange vertical bar on the far right that 63% of the 19 ratings on Ford are “buys” or “overweights.” So, it seems as far as buy calls are concerned. GM has a slight edge in the analyst community.
Of course, Ford loyalists and GM diehards should feel free to fight it out in the comments section. But you should know neither of these stocks has been distinguishing itself this year. Ford (the yellow line in the chart, below) is down about 9.4%, GM is lower by about 12.5%.


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The City’s Department of Transportation is taking many steps to enhance street efficiency. To remain a great global center, it’s vital for New York to improve its freight systems. Demand for the City’s streets has grown dramatically and that impairs freight efficiency. Freight trips are rising steadily as on-line shopping grows. The number of deliveries to residences is up 30 percent in just five years. Trucks frequently double park because curbside loading zones are filled.
Expanded bus, bike and pedestrian facilities have mostly been put in place without reducing overall lane capacity. Between 2010 and 2015, the city added 370,000 new residents and 520,000 jobs. Since 2000, tourism has surged 61% to 58 million visitors. Construction is booming, with a record 56,000 new housing units approved in 2015. A smarter planning and logistics system that avoids unnecessary and costly travel is needed. Improved efficiency is essential to enable better mobility by people and freight while improving livability and environmental quality. No single strategy can do this.
The Department of Transportation would like to hear from residents and business operators as they develop a citywide strategy to meet their needs for truck deliveries while also meeting their sustainability goals.
Join the DOT at the first series of workshops, starting at 55 Water Street in Lower Manhattan on May 11, 2017.


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While Apple Vision Pro is set to debut in the United States on February 2, Apple hasn’t shared details about international availability just yet. In a new report published on Tuesday, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says the wait might not be too long for those international buyers…
“Apple is likely to release Vision Pro outside the U.S. market before WWDC 2024,” Kuo reports. He attributes this to a few different factors.
- “Apple plans to share more development details about visionOS with global developers at WWDC 2024. If Apple can launch Vision Pro in non-U.S. markets before WWDC 2024, it would be beneficial for promoting the global development ecosystem of visionOS.”
- “The reasons why Apple hasn’t released Vision Pro in non-U.S. markets yet include 1) the limited initial supply of Vision Pro, 2) first ensuring that the sales process in the U.S. market goes smoothly, and 3) the time needed to modify the algorithms to comply with regulations in other countries.”
Beyond the initial supply constraints, there are a lot of other logistical speedbumps for Apple in its efforts to bring Vision Pro internationally. For instance, the process around prescription lenses varies from country to country. Apple retail stores also play a huge role in the buying process for Vision Pro, and it takes time for Apple to properly train its retail employees.
Still, if Kuo is to be believed, Vision Pro will likely launch in at least some countries outside of the United States before June.
Read more about Vision Pro:
- Belkin is making a battery clip accessory for Apple Vision Pro
- Gallery: Here’s an in-depth look at what Keynote looks like on Apple Vision Pro
- Apple Vision Pro ordering process: iPhone or iPad with Face ID needed, ‘valid, unexpired prescription’ for optical inserts
- Vision Pro will be in very short supply on launch day, Kuo says
- Xcode files reveal Vision Pro RAM details, but what about storage capacities?
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
The post Apple Vision Pro set to launch outside of the US before WWDC, Kuo says – 9to5Mac first appeared on 9to5mac.com


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Brazilian computer manufacturer Positivo has struck a partnership with Japanese maker Vaio to produce its PCs locally.
This marks the first international partnership for Vaio, which was sold by Sony to investment fund Japan Industrial Partners in 2014 and had been focusing on the Japanese market ever since.
Under the agreement, Positivo will start selling Vaio PCs in Brazil as of October this year. The product design will remain Vaio’s job, while the Brazilian partner will manufacture the items, provide post-sale support and local marketing.
The news of the partnership follow a sales drop reported by Positivo at the start of 2015,caused by price increases introduced to reflect the dollar hike in relation to Brazil’s currency, the real.
Some 1.964 million PCs were sold in the first three months of the year in Brazil, so 20 percent less than in the same quarter in 2014, according to analyst house IDC.
The analyst’s expectation is that PC sales in Brazil will shrink even more in 2015, after three consecutive years of diminishing sales.
Dell is the current market leader in the Brazilian PC market, followed by Chinese manufacturer Lenovo and Positivo.


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Catfish Conference 2019 Follow Up
Where catfish anglers seek products and camaraderie.
Catfish Conference has been a hit among catfish anglers from its inception. The conference’s small beginning in Versailles, KY was not really that small in terms of expectations and reality. The organizers didn’t really know what to expect. The results were overwhelming and the event continues to grow with nearly 5000 people attending in 2019.
It has become abundantly clear the catfish anglers from across the spectrum are searching for more information on the sport of catfishing. Catfish tournaments go a long way toward educating a certain segment of catfish anglers, but catfish conference has provided an educational component that does not include the pressure of competitive fishing and pushes information out to a larger population of anglers. It also provides hands-on shopping for many catfish products.
From the beginning in 2016 to the recently completed event, Catfish Conference has been all about promoting the sport of catfishing while introducing anglers to available products in a consumer show environment where vendors have historically reported record sales as people come ready to buy.
The catfish extravaganza grew from its location in a small marine dealership to a large hotel conference room. That history has been well documented. Now in its fourth year, it took place on February 22, 23, and 24 in the Kentucky Exposition Center, Louisville, KY. It has grown from that original one-day event to three days which gave even more catfish fans an opportunity to visit.
Many conference participants play dual roles at the conference. Their interest is high in just being able to visit with friends they don’t see that often, but many of them also spend some time in their sponsors’ booths.
Benji Brown and his son Riley have been to three of the four Catfish Conferences to date. Benji has personally witnessed where it started and where it is now. At first, it was more about just seeing everyone and talking catfishing. The past couple of years he has put some time in at booths for Warrior Cat Tackle and Monster Rod Holders.
“Once the doors open its chaos,” joked Brown. “We actually had to send someone to the store to get us lunch around one o’clock, because we lost track of time and we were starving.”
“Catfish Conference was a success once again,” offered Brown. “And it just gets better and better. The expo center was much larger than last year’s venue at the Crown Plaza. We had much more room in our booth and for just walking around.”
The crowds were large on Friday and Saturday but fell off some on Sunday. But the composition of the visitors caught Brown’s eye as the number of families appeared to be larger than in the past.
“I noticed more women and children this year,” reported Brown. “I would be curious to know the number of people that came through over the three days.”
“The thing that most impressed me was the professionalism I witnessed,” continued Brown. “As everyone knows, catfishing has a little drama nowadays. From rods to boats, and even tournaments, the drama finds it way in. Well for this one time of the year, catfishermen and women seem able to put this all aside and come together for the sport of catfishing.”
“Rod companies were getting along,” concluded Brown. “And even the numerous boat manufacturers were seen chatting it up and even hanging out. Everyone put their differences aside for this event and it is good for the sport.”
Chris Souders is a tournament angler and YouTuber. He has been to all the conferences so far. He reported a similar experience to Brown’s at this year’s conference. He regularly shares his own knowledge of catfishing with others through his YouTube channel, Slunger Cat Outdoors. Similar to his teaching on YouTube, he found visitors eager to learn about catfishing at the conference.
“Visitors that talk to me wanted information,” said Souders. “The more information I could give them the happier they were. They were very eager to learn.”
“The crowds were good for Friday and Saturday,” said Souders. “But to me on Sunday things were slow. One thing that stood out to me more than just about everything else was the number of women and children that attended this year’s event. I was very impressed with this year‘s conference.”
“The conference has definitely changed over the years,” concluded Souders. “The booths and company’s appearances have gotten more professional looking. Also, the amount of product that is being brought in and the new products being introduced is just amazing. I continue to be blown away at how this industry continues to take shape.”
A Vendor’s Perspective
Peter Drees is the National Sales Manager for Hooksetter USA which manufactures products in the fishing, kayaking, and boating markets. The company acts as manufacturer, distributor, and dealer, distributing a large number of catfish products, nationwide, through a network of 60 dealers. And that network is growing, partly due to Catfish Conference. He has represented his company at all four conferences as a vendor.
“This year was a great conference with a good crowd,” offered Drees. “We did need tables and chairs as those were surprisingly not provided. I love opportunities like this as we see a lot of friends only once a year. We always pick up a few new dealers as well.”
“The conference has gotten bigger, with many more vendors,” continued Drees. Sunday was slower and we could probably do without it. But I used it to catch up, talking with friends, finishing requested interviews with YouTubers, and wrapping up new deals with new dealers.”
“Catfish Conference is a very hectic and fast-paced event,” concluded Drees. “But then again I set up our business so we will never ever run out of things to do.”
Steve Douglas has had the idea for a while to include a catfish cookoff at the conference. He worked on it seriously in 2019 and made it happen. The winners, as it turned, were a last-minute entry from a team that had a message for everyone.
“I was originally coming just cuz’ I love catfishing,” said team member Derek Ellis. “I wanted to meet everyone and get some new tackle. At the last minute I decided to do the cookoff just to help Steve out and it paid off!”
Derek had heard the competition was still needing teams so he messaged Steve Douglas that they were in. Then, on Thursday night before traveling to the conference, Team Flatiators met to practice a new and different spicing recipe and worked to master it. The next day they drove 8 hours from Little Rock Arkansas to Louisville where they were soon to be cookoff champs.
“The part I liked the most was getting to meet and see everyone,” concluded Derek. “I still can’t believe we won the cookoff! Just like fishing or anything thing else competitive. It’s any man’s game until it’s over so if there is something holding you back don’t let it!”
Derek’s advice was made in a Facebook post following the conference and it really summed up the success of Catfish Conference. What started four years ago in a small marine dealership in Versailles, KY has grown into a first-class gathering of the catfish community because a few people were willing to take a chance and put in the work. Now, masses of people are receiving the benefits as the conference continues to grow.
“The new venue caused some issues but we are learning and making adjustments,” said conference founder Steve Douglas. “We strive to make it better every year.”
Douglas is proud of where the conference has gone and has ideas for its future. Some of his ideas relate to other cities that are interested in the conference.
“We have a lot of dates and a lot of cities that have an interested in bringing Catfish Conference to their areas,” reported Douglas. “Personally, I would like to have a conference that has a tournament associated with it. Of course, it would have to be a time when the weather is normally good.”
“I would like it to be a high scale event attracting the more seasoned guys,” said Douglas. “It would be a real production, one that would bring awareness to the community.”
“Overall, we were satisfied with the event,” said Catfish Conference spokesman Herve Drompt. “We made some good contacts and we got major companies interested in the 2020 edition. The State of Kentucky came to visit and were very impressed with the evolution of the event from the first edition to what we are today.”
“We would like to thank all the patrons for coming out,” concluded Douglas. “Without them, it would be nothing. My hope is that it continues to grow as a place for the catfish community to gather.”
The catfish community pulls together in this event because it is something they obviously want. The result is the biggest event of its kind in the nation. Catfish Conference is one cog in the wheel of building a stronger, better organized and better educated catfish community.
More information can be found at www.catfishconference.com. Be sure to follow and like their Facebook page to keep up with conference activities.


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ZEMIC Participated in the InterlWeighing 2018 Exhibition
From April 18th to 20th, the 2018 InterWEIGHING Exhibition was held at the International Expo Center in Wuhan city. More than 200 companies from all over the world participated in the exhibition. ZEMIC's general manager Liu Dongping, vice president Zhang Zhigang and Yang Zhanghuai led the group of over 30 participants, which consists of R&D, technology and marketing staff, to attend the exhibition.
ZEMIC attended the exhibition in association with ZEMIC Yaohua and focused on exhibiting intelligent manufacturing and smart factories, car networking system, digital modules, sensors and strain gauges, totally five categories of products. ZEMIC fully relied on the exhibition platform to present innovative achievements of the company's industrial development in recent years, which highlighted the company's lean manufacturing capabilities, technological innovation capabilities, and system integration capabilities.
During the exhibition, ZEMIC signed the management contract with distributors from Turkey, Iran, South Africa and other countries, reached a preliminary consensus on marketing exploration with each other, and strengthened the basis of ZEMIC's international marketing development. The technical staffs from Production Dept cooperated with the marketing branch to focus on the company's product manufacturing process, technology, quality, new product applications and other aspects with the customer for in-depth exchanges; Intelligent Equipment Business Unit, Huayan Intelligent Transportation Business Unit, the staffs of the three units did a good job in promoting system products and also capturing the latest market information and development trends.
It was a good chance for ZEMIC staffs to have face-to-face communication with other companies in this industry including the competitors. Meanwhile ZEMIC participated in related technical exchange seminars and new product launches, which led to a deeper understanding of market and new technology development trends.


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Last Updated on Monday, 27 July 2015, 20:25 by GxMedia
Amid the impending collapse of the Venezuelan and Panamanian rice markets and low world market prices, the Guyana government is exploring the possibility of mixing rice flour with wheaten flour.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, George Jervis told a National Rice Industry Conference that consideration to mix the flours was in its very early stages. “As regards the blending of rice flour and wheaten flour, it is under active consideration and I can tell you the discussions are ongoing,” he said. He said there was nothing stopping the private sector from pursuing such an initiative.
Jervis’ comments followed a suggestion from a rice farmer that mixing rice flour with higher quality wheaten flour should be the way to go to consume soaring production of the grain. Seecharran acknowledged that the mixing of the two flours “is a ticklish suggestion” and he appealed to participants to “forget about the politics and let’s think about the future of the country and the future of this industry.”
“Our rice going to Trinidad, going to Jamaica and they mix it and send it back right here and we buy it and we eat it and we say it taste good. Why can’t we do the same here?,” he said. He estimates that with a 50-50 flour mix, Guyana could save foreign exchange on wheaten flour purchases and find a ready market for at least 400,000 bags of paddy or 25,000 tons of rice.
The farmer’s reference to politics appeared to refer to the period in the 1980s when late President Forbes Burnham’s People’s National Congress (PNC)-led government had banned wheaten flour and promoted initiatives for the use of rice and cassava flours.
Newly-appointed Chairman of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), Claude Housty told the conference that rice flour is more nutritious because it has a higher digestable protein content, low calories and high fiber. The biggest drawback, he said, is the low gluten content that makes the flour difficult to bind and the products hard. “If you get health conscious go to rice flour, don’t worry with wheat,” he said. Housty noted that rice flour has been used to make pastries, bread, hot dog rolls, ice cream and Swiss rolls.
Housty said Guyana should seek help from the Philippines-headquartered non-governmental International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the Global Rice Science Partnership to produce high quality rice, rice byproducts and value-added rice products.
Panama, which had been purchasing at least 60,000 tons of rice from Guyana, has cut back on doing so since the election of a new government of that Central American country.
Venezuela has also reduced the amount of rice it is importing from Guyana, leaving many farmers and millers to search for alternative markets in a world where the prices and cost of production are lower.


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As personal-care businesses across the United States begin to reopen, it's clear that the rituals we previously associated with nail salons, haircuts, and spas will have to change, and that's especially true for the facial.
Facials involve a level of personal contact that goes beyond even hair and nail salons. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), even calls out spas specifically in its suggestion to "minimize use of areas that may lead to close contact (within six feet) with other people as much as possible, like...pools, hot tubs, saunas, spas, salons, and fitness centers."
During a facial, an aesthetician is typically just inches away from the client. Additionally, the CDC advises that "indoor spaces with less ventilation where it might be harder to keep people apart are more risky than outdoor spaces," not unlike the close quarters of a spa treatment room. The CDC also recommends interacting with others with a face covering on; unless you're opting for a nonexistent treatment known as a forehead facial, you'll be breaking this rule as well.
Since each of the 50 states is creating its own reopening plan, the availability and experience of a facial will differ from state-to-state. Before booking a facial, check your state's website for specific guidance and regulations. Your favorite spa may be closed completely, offering only certain treatments, totally open for business, or somewhere in between.
We checked in with aestheticians across the country to gain a broad understanding of what one of our favorite treatments will look like moving forward and when we might feel comfortable getting one again. Until then, here is what you should keep in mind for the future — when getting a facial is safer.
"I would advise [patients] not to get a facial at this time," says Nada Elbuluk, a board-certified dermatologist and clinical associate professor at the USC Keck School of Medicine. "A facial involves exposure to mucosal sites (eyes, nose, mouth), and prolonged contact between the person giving the facial and the person receiving it. It's not possible for a person receiving a facial to be wearing a mask so it places that person at higher risk of exposure during the procedure."
Even in her own dermatology office, Elbuluk is not currently doing any chemical peels or cosmetic procedures involving the face. (That doesn't include necessary medical procedures like skin-care surgeries, which have a whole different set of health and safety precautions.)
"I was supposed to have a facial a couple of weeks ago," says Catherine Troisi, an infectious disease epidemiologist at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Even though spas in her home state of Texas have reopened, she chose to cancel her appointment. "I just don't see any way you can make [the facial] safer," she says.
Like so many activities during the pandemic, what your next facial looks like will be determined by your state and your comfort level. As of June 11, Houston, Texas Essential Body Bar owner Letrice Mason had instated new policies, such as adding a 30-minute threshold between clients, and booking appointments to 50 percent of spa capacity. Her employees wear masks, but facial customers do not.
As of late June, COVID-19 cases spiked in Texas, hitting nearly 165,000 as of July 1, according to Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center's tracker. On June 26, Governor Greg Abbott scaled back on Texas's reopening, ordering bars to close and restaurants to scale back to 50 percent capacity.
Facialist Joanna Vargas owns one spa location in New York City and another in Los Angeles, where both cities are in the process of reopening. (New York City is currently in Phase 2 of reopening, and is currently to enter Phase 3, which includes spas, on July 6. Many spas have reopened in Los Angeles County; Vargas has not yet confirmed the exact day when her L.A. location will reopen, but she'll be ready with a 19-point-long cleanliness protocol that she shared with Allure.
On the list are items like "complimentary beverage service will be discontinued" and "plexiglass will be placed at the front desk." As Vargas points out, "aestheticians have been trained and state-certified very specifically on cleanliness. It is actually built into our profession."
Even when state restrictions lift, some spa owners like Vargas are choosing to wait before opening their doors. Joanna Czech's studio in Dallas was technically allowed to open on May 19, they reopened on June 10. According to Raquel Medina-Cleghorn, head of studios and lead aesthetician, they waited in order to make sure safety protocols were in place and staff were trained.
Aesthetician Sofie Pavitt is expecting to open her New York City salon in July, when the city is anticipated to move into Phase 3 of reopening. Still, her doors might not be open on Day 1. "Once we get the go-ahead to reopen, I'll be evaluating when we will be able to do so safely," she says.
Facial bars Heyday (locations in New York City, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia) and Silver Mirror (New York City and Washington, D.C.) will follow a similar set of guidelines. "We're spending additional tens of thousands of dollars on PPE, almost hourly cleaning, additional laundry services, and other costly measures," says Silver Mirror co-founder Matt Maroone. "Many of our clients have voiced their eagerness to get back in for an appointment, and we feel confident in our ability to safely serve them with our updated safety protocols and procedures when the time is right, says Heyday co-founder Michael Pollack.
The Bottom Line
Businesses across the country are reopening, and it's difficult to resist the urge to book all your long-overdue appointments (not to mention resisting the urge to hug friends and family you haven't seen since this all began). We support anyone who wants to invest time in their skin — but only when it is absolutely safe to do so for the provider, the client, and anyone else involved.
Remember that there are many ways to support your favorite beauty professionals without risking anyone's health. Like so many other decisions surrounding COVID-19, when facial spas open in your neck of the woods, it'll be up to you to decide whether the ritual of another human applying skin care to your face is worth the risk.
More next steps:
What This High-Risk Person Wants You to Keep In Mind As Cities Open Back Up
After COVID-19, the Salon Experience Might Never Be the Same
Now, take lessons from a beauty expert's nighttime skin routine:
You can follow Allure on Instagram and Twitter, or subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date on all things beauty.


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Zimbabwe’s limping economy has entered into deflation with official figures released by Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (Zimstat) for March showing consumers prices declined by 0.91 percent having gone down by 0.49 percent in February.
“This means that prices as measured by the all items Consumer Price Index decreased by an average of 0.91 percentage points between March 2013 and March 2014,” Zimstat said.
Monthly inflation rate for March slid into deflation, standing at -0.22 percent after dropping 0.27 percent on the February rate of 0.05 percent.
Apart from low aggregate demand, analysts have also attributed the deflation to the weakening of the South African Rand against the United States dollar which is the currency of reference in Zimbabwe.
South Africa is Zimbabwe’s major trading partner, accounting for about 60 percent of Zimbabwe’s imports. The analysts have since called for urgent and practical intervention measures s to boost economic activity in the country so as to spur national demand for goods and services.
Zimbabwe has struggled to resuscitate in industrial base to boost local production and exports leading to a deluge of consumer goods imports.


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Your gamer heart might think this news isn’t worth it. But believe me, King’s games are a hit around the world, and mobile is one of the most profitable areas for Activision Blizzard, so much so that it’s the most profitable arm of the game. company in the last fiscal quarter, more than all PC and console revenue combined. No kidding.
I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m one of those addicted to the Farm Heroes saga, and I’m sure many who read this aren’t either. So today’s news may be good news for fans of King’s simple game mechanics.
Candy Crush on Xbox
Indeed, Candy Crush Saga, its biggest hit, has been listed for Xbox from the mobile app. This does not confirm the arrival of Candy Crush on Microsoft consoles. But knowing that games like Hexic and Peggle have been popular, I don’t think it’s strange that Microsoft wants to use the success of Candy Crush to boost console usage; after all, there is a version for Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Candy Crush Saga appears on the Xbox store
To everyone’s surprise, the mega-hit of the mobile world Candy Crush Saga, has just appeared on the Xbox store! It is visible by the Xbox application, whose mention available appears, although it is not yet possible to download it.
This title from the King studio is one of the most played of all time on mobile, and incidentally on PC. This thanks to its ultra-addictive gameplay, which consists of playing with candy combinations to line up three of the same color. A principle that stems from the legendary Tetris (and more recently from Bejeweled), and which still demonstrates all its power today. King belonging to the Activision / Blizzard group, it is difficult not to see the beginning of the repercussions of the takeover by Microsoft!


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- Technical Sales Representative, Leamington, Ontario
- HR Generalist
- Technical Sales Representative, Ancaster, Ontario
- Head Grower Strawberries (West Virginia USA)
- Global Sourcing Manager
- Buying Operations Manager (BOM Process)
- Sourcing Manager EU
- Ein- und Verkäufer Obst
- Manager Operations Ethiopia
- Senior Grower
Top 5 - yesterday
Top 5 - last week
- Last year, more than 6,000 hectares of citrus fruit were abandoned in the Valencian production areas
- South African fruit exports can’t do without Russia
- Fruits and vegetables rich in flavonols help prevent memory loss
- "The lower prices are however seeing demand for macadamias pick up locally"
- The amount of fresh produce grown in China is mind-blowing
Top 5 - last month
- Risk of heart disease might drop significantly by drinking these fruit juices
- “Right now, everybody in the US is desperate for grapes”
- South African strawberry aficionados in for a Woolworths treat
- Japanese farmer produces mangoes that sell for $230 each
- UK and Europe “screaming for citrus” but still more rain for South Africa
Vegetable production in province severely affected: onion and potato plantings 50-80% down in some areas
Capetonians behaving badly in their water usage
Author: Carolize Jansen
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- 2023-05-29 "Climate change is the new reality for Moroccan agriculture"
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- 2023-05-17 The drought has overwhelmed Tunisian producers
- 2023-05-17 Rain and hail is causing damage and no peace in Emilia Romagna
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- 2023-05-10 "We need to prioritize the use of the water available for perennial fruit crops"
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Despite being an agricultural country, Pakistan’s food items imports during the outgoing financial year rose by 55 percent to Rs1,331 billion.
The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) released a report on the food import bill according to which wheat worth Rs157.78 billion was imported during the last fiscal.
According to the report 3.612 million metric tons of wheat was imported from July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021.
Tea leaves worth Rs92 billion, pulses worth Rs112 billion and palm oil worth Rs424 billion were imported during the financial year 2020-21.
Spices worth Rs35 billion, dried fruits worth Rs12 billion, milk, cream and other goods worth Rs30 billion were imported during the same period,
According to the report, goods worth Rs21 billion were imported from China.
OTHER ITEMS: Meanwhile, mobile phones import increased by 50.75 percent to Rs331.94 billion during FY21 as against Rs220.06 billion over the previous year. However, the import of construction and electrical machinery dipped by 26.52 percent and 25.37 percent, respectively. The import of agriculture machinery posted a paltry growth of 0.83pc.
The import of petroleum products was up by 9.03 percent in value in the FY21 and increased by 28.73 percent in quantity. Crude oil imports rose by 14.15 percent in value and 32.02 percent in quantity during the period under review while those of liquefied natural gas fell by 1.69 percent in value. However, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) imports jumped 60.70 percent in value in FY21 largely to plug a shortfall in local production.


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Newspapers chasing small local advertisers is uneconomical. Less sales hype, more hyperlocal news needed 7/31/08Posted by Steve Boriss in Advertising revenues.
According to the Wall Street Journal, to make-up for falling ad revenues, newspapers have nearly tripled the number of local salespeople, only to watch their share of local online ads drop by a quarter. And yet, local online ad revenues grew by 57% last year, much of it captured by Google and Local.com.
Apparently, having locally available humans press the flesh is not the advantage newspapers thought it might be. The Wall Street Journal points out several possible reasons, including papers’ past focus only on larger advertisers, low commission opportunities offered my these low cost, small size purchases, and the relative ineffectiveness of banner ads for local merchants.
The solution for newspapers is probably based more on its product than its sales force. Online papers must reestablish themselves as local must-reads. What’s needed is less sales hype and more hyperlocal news. (H/T Garry Rains)